Could you imagine if we browbeat people just trying to learn to cook because they have no plans to open a restaurant? Yet for some reason this is the modus operandi when it comes to creative writing. "A compass not a map" is a great way to think about success as a writer. Not everyone does or should have the same goals in writing, most people shouldn't open a restaurant, even if they can cook, because while running a restaurant means you've got to be able to cook, cooking doesn't mean you've got to run a restaurant.
This post exposes a longstanding presumption that one of the ways to become a millionaire is to write a bestseller. That entire way of thinking belongs to an ecosystem that no longer exists. Literary democracy is here. Hegemony is waning. It may return at a later time.
There will always be marketing-minded people who are wired to jimmy rig absolutely anything into a scheme for making way more money than most others. There are people out there right now making videos about how they wrote 30 books this year using AI and by some miracle they're able to say this with a straight face.
I also have no intention to leave my "real job." In fact, I think my real job strengthens my writing because it gives me story fodder and it enriches my writing time because I'm the kind of person who thrives within variety. Some of my most interesting creative writing happened when I was in grad school and should've been doing homework for this exact reason.
Can't say enough how much I'm looking forward to more of your thoughts on this!
Thank you! It's interesting to me because once I started thinking seriously about these topics, the more new topics started to crop up ... like this bit about writing part time (it just hadn't occurred to me how much people ignore the person who just wants to write here and there) and how I half think there should be a division in the world of books: people who want to write and consume "commodity" books on a rapid-fire pulp-based model (great for some authors and readers but terrible for others) on one side and more traditional writers and readers on the other side. It's not that one is invalid; it's that they're different and should really be treated as such.
I tried the serial model about 10 years ago and I found the pace too frenetic given my perfectionism. Some way to divide between serial and traditional publishing would be useful.
My debut novel that took 13 years to write came out recently, the eBook is $12.99 and someone commented that the price was unreasonable. What I'm thinking to myself in that moment is exactly what you said: It's not like I squeezed this thing out in 2 weeks, revised it 1.5 times, and posted it in chunks on SubStack. The "traditional model" side of me was deeply offended! Don't worry, I'll be okay.
But anyway, as usual I fully agree with you. Keep it coming.
Well said. I’m retired but write full time (Goal = 3 well crafted books/year). My sales are in the 100s annually and most of my sales are done in person. And I couldn’t be happier.
I'm SO glad you wrote this! I subscribed to you based on this article alone :) I love to write, but the pressure of making a full-time income from writing has been stressing me out. Until you said so, I didn't realize how I was in the whole "six figures or nothing" mindset.
By day, I'm an accountant. It took A LOT of time (and money!) to get my CPA license. It makes me feel so much better to keep my accounting job, and continue writing (while hopefully earning some extra money on the side).
Long time listener, long time fan. Since before you joined SPP, and I remember you guys gearing up (Fiction Unboxed, Write. Publish. Repeat) and starting to fire books out like a machine gun.
And I remember thinking I'd never get to that level because I just didn't have the time or resources (talented included!) but also I wasn't ever sure if that was the kind of writer I wanted to be.
I wish I could go full time, but I also realise it's not likely. There's too many things I want to do with my time (like ultra-trail running) that I'm always splitting it and I'm ok with that. In fact, I only finished my first novel when I learnt grit from long distance running.
Like you say, I'd rather balance them all and find my own version of happiness and success. And hopefully a few people to geek out with about the shit I cook up and the worlds I wonder about.
Thanks again, Johnny, happy to have you on Substack.
Thank you, Zane. It's always so cool to see people like you who've been with me/us forever. The all-or-nothing of our current culture is so discouraging and misleading. Ever since I realized it enough to write this, the absurdity of it has really been bowling me over. It's crazy. You'd think there's no desire -- and no way -- to do anything other than write 24/7.
I've never ultra-run (I planned a 50k right after a marathon so I could say I technically did one, but things conspired against me) but I have trained for marathons so I know how much time that takes. I can't even imagine trying to write full time if there's a day job in the mix, too!
It really does take a ton of time and energy. From me and from the family, which I'm sure you get as well. There's always this challenge of If You Do This, Then You Can't Do That see-saw of multiple passions.
For writing, mostly I just want to build a What If world, and write novels and stories in it that some people like. And use whatever sustainable subscription income I can to go part-time on it so I feel less guilty about stealing time. That's it really.
Kinda makes it seem quite achievable writing it down in public like that... :)
Thanks again! Looking forward to your Kickstarter - will be my third of yours I've backed (I think).
People don’t realize how many past authors had full time jobs: they worked in banks, in hospitals, sold cars, owned businesses, toiled as day laborers, security guards, and on and on. Walter Mosley was a technical writer, as was Kurt Vonnegut. William Carlos Williams was a medical doctor. I think it’s the truly odd case where a writer supports themselves fully in their writing.
Great piece. I'm really looking forward to your book. I don't ever plan on being full time. The idea feels so volatile and having so much flexibility is daunting for me. I love my hobby writing. I hope one day that I can turn it into a side hustle, pay for groceries or a vacation with my words. That sounds amazing! Hell, even breaking even with my investment will be a moment I celebrate. But not full time. I'm happy to be seen 😁
Thank you! This was affirming and reassuring, even though I didn’t realize before I read it that I wanted affirmation and reassurance. It would be really cool if enough people thought enough of my writing that I could do it full-time. But I’m also totally okay if that doesn’t happen. I still love to write, and I’ll still keep doing it, because I love that creative process. It’s just nice to know that’s not just one more weird characteristic I have.
Could you imagine if we browbeat people just trying to learn to cook because they have no plans to open a restaurant? Yet for some reason this is the modus operandi when it comes to creative writing. "A compass not a map" is a great way to think about success as a writer. Not everyone does or should have the same goals in writing, most people shouldn't open a restaurant, even if they can cook, because while running a restaurant means you've got to be able to cook, cooking doesn't mean you've got to run a restaurant.
This post exposes a longstanding presumption that one of the ways to become a millionaire is to write a bestseller. That entire way of thinking belongs to an ecosystem that no longer exists. Literary democracy is here. Hegemony is waning. It may return at a later time.
There will always be marketing-minded people who are wired to jimmy rig absolutely anything into a scheme for making way more money than most others. There are people out there right now making videos about how they wrote 30 books this year using AI and by some miracle they're able to say this with a straight face.
I also have no intention to leave my "real job." In fact, I think my real job strengthens my writing because it gives me story fodder and it enriches my writing time because I'm the kind of person who thrives within variety. Some of my most interesting creative writing happened when I was in grad school and should've been doing homework for this exact reason.
Can't say enough how much I'm looking forward to more of your thoughts on this!
DRM
Thank you! It's interesting to me because once I started thinking seriously about these topics, the more new topics started to crop up ... like this bit about writing part time (it just hadn't occurred to me how much people ignore the person who just wants to write here and there) and how I half think there should be a division in the world of books: people who want to write and consume "commodity" books on a rapid-fire pulp-based model (great for some authors and readers but terrible for others) on one side and more traditional writers and readers on the other side. It's not that one is invalid; it's that they're different and should really be treated as such.
I tried the serial model about 10 years ago and I found the pace too frenetic given my perfectionism. Some way to divide between serial and traditional publishing would be useful.
My debut novel that took 13 years to write came out recently, the eBook is $12.99 and someone commented that the price was unreasonable. What I'm thinking to myself in that moment is exactly what you said: It's not like I squeezed this thing out in 2 weeks, revised it 1.5 times, and posted it in chunks on SubStack. The "traditional model" side of me was deeply offended! Don't worry, I'll be okay.
But anyway, as usual I fully agree with you. Keep it coming.
Well said. I’m retired but write full time (Goal = 3 well crafted books/year). My sales are in the 100s annually and most of my sales are done in person. And I couldn’t be happier.
I love hearing this!
I'm SO glad you wrote this! I subscribed to you based on this article alone :) I love to write, but the pressure of making a full-time income from writing has been stressing me out. Until you said so, I didn't realize how I was in the whole "six figures or nothing" mindset.
By day, I'm an accountant. It took A LOT of time (and money!) to get my CPA license. It makes me feel so much better to keep my accounting job, and continue writing (while hopefully earning some extra money on the side).
I think there's a lot more people like you than the author community at large realizes. Thanks for weighing in!
Totally respect writers happy to keep their day job. I on the other hand hate my day job.
Thanks for writing this!
Long time listener, long time fan. Since before you joined SPP, and I remember you guys gearing up (Fiction Unboxed, Write. Publish. Repeat) and starting to fire books out like a machine gun.
And I remember thinking I'd never get to that level because I just didn't have the time or resources (talented included!) but also I wasn't ever sure if that was the kind of writer I wanted to be.
I wish I could go full time, but I also realise it's not likely. There's too many things I want to do with my time (like ultra-trail running) that I'm always splitting it and I'm ok with that. In fact, I only finished my first novel when I learnt grit from long distance running.
Like you say, I'd rather balance them all and find my own version of happiness and success. And hopefully a few people to geek out with about the shit I cook up and the worlds I wonder about.
Thanks again, Johnny, happy to have you on Substack.
Thank you, Zane. It's always so cool to see people like you who've been with me/us forever. The all-or-nothing of our current culture is so discouraging and misleading. Ever since I realized it enough to write this, the absurdity of it has really been bowling me over. It's crazy. You'd think there's no desire -- and no way -- to do anything other than write 24/7.
I've never ultra-run (I planned a 50k right after a marathon so I could say I technically did one, but things conspired against me) but I have trained for marathons so I know how much time that takes. I can't even imagine trying to write full time if there's a day job in the mix, too!
Exactly!
All or nothing is for them kids in their 20s 😆
It really does take a ton of time and energy. From me and from the family, which I'm sure you get as well. There's always this challenge of If You Do This, Then You Can't Do That see-saw of multiple passions.
For writing, mostly I just want to build a What If world, and write novels and stories in it that some people like. And use whatever sustainable subscription income I can to go part-time on it so I feel less guilty about stealing time. That's it really.
Kinda makes it seem quite achievable writing it down in public like that... :)
Thanks again! Looking forward to your Kickstarter - will be my third of yours I've backed (I think).
It's going to be a really good one! Thanks for all your support over the years, Zane.
People don’t realize how many past authors had full time jobs: they worked in banks, in hospitals, sold cars, owned businesses, toiled as day laborers, security guards, and on and on. Walter Mosley was a technical writer, as was Kurt Vonnegut. William Carlos Williams was a medical doctor. I think it’s the truly odd case where a writer supports themselves fully in their writing.
And yet it's presented today as the norm. I think that's a standard that's crushing a lot of dreams and making successful authors feel like failures.
Great piece. I'm really looking forward to your book. I don't ever plan on being full time. The idea feels so volatile and having so much flexibility is daunting for me. I love my hobby writing. I hope one day that I can turn it into a side hustle, pay for groceries or a vacation with my words. That sounds amazing! Hell, even breaking even with my investment will be a moment I celebrate. But not full time. I'm happy to be seen 😁
Making my point for me! :)
Thank you! This was affirming and reassuring, even though I didn’t realize before I read it that I wanted affirmation and reassurance. It would be really cool if enough people thought enough of my writing that I could do it full-time. But I’m also totally okay if that doesn’t happen. I still love to write, and I’ll still keep doing it, because I love that creative process. It’s just nice to know that’s not just one more weird characteristic I have.